JAPANESE MUSIC
LO: SHOULD BE ABLE TO
- Identify and describe the characteristics of Music from Japan
- Identify and describe the forms of music in Japanese Music
- Identify and describe Instruments used in Japanese Music.
Japanese music, like most East Asian classical music cultures, tends to depend on
words. Traditional Japanese music often has a vocal part, and the descriptive nature
of the instrumental music is usually reflected in the title. Court music is very
different from theatre music but some characteristics apply to all Japanese traditions.
COMMON FEATURES OF THE STYLE
● There is NO chordal harmony.
● Generally, each composition is really a melody interpreted by several
instruments HETEROPHONICALLY
● Melodic parts seem to start at different times, only coming together at
cadences.
● Japanese music tends to be 'through-composed', while Western music
depends upon a more structured form in which there are answering
phrases, variations and repeats, and a harmonic basis. Japanese music is a
succession of new ideas, and although there is musical form, it does not
depend on recognizable phrases being repeated.
● The form of Japanese music falls under the heading sof jo, ha, and kyu:
'introduction', 'breaking away', and hurried'. these are a bit like Alap, jhor
and Jhala in Indian Music…
Types of Works
- Gagaku music: music of the Japanese court
- Melody interpreted by several instruments, create a flowing melody
(heterophonic)
- Can be performed as dance music or instrumental music
- Around 16 musicians (string, reed, percussion)
- Uses 2 heptatonic scales - ryo and ritsu
- Noh drama
- Singing, reciting, dancing
- Accompaniment of 3 drums and a flute
- Strict rhythmic pattern, melodic structure, design
- Bunraku
- Puppet play with shamisen accompaniment
- Kabuki
- Use of shamisen, flute, drums
- Wooden clappers announce beginning of play, used as percussion
- Long monologues half spoken half sung
INSTRUMENTS
Koto
The koto is a Japanese plucked zither and the
national instrument of Japan. It is derived from the
Chinese zheng and se, and similar to the Mongolian
yatga, the Korean gayageum and ajaeng, the
Vietnamese đàn tranh, the Sundanese kacapi and the
Kazakhstan jetigen.
Shamisen
The shamisen or samisen, also sangen, is a three-stringed
traditional Japanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese
instrument sanxian. It is played with a plectrum called a bachi. The
Japanese pronunciation is usually shamisen but sometimes jamisen
when used as a suffix, according to regular sound change.
Shakuhachi
The shakuhachi is a Japanese and ancient Chinese
longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo. It was
originally introduced from China into Japan in the 7th century
and reached its peak in the Edo period. The oldest shakuhachi
in Japan is currently stored in Shōsō-in, Nara.
Sho
The shō is a Japanese free reed musical instrument that was introduced
from China during the Nara period. It is descended from the Chinese
sheng, of the Tang Dynasty era, although the shō tends to be smaller in
size than its contemporary sheng relatives.
Biwa
The biwa is a Japanese short-necked lute, often used in
narrative storytelling. The biwa is the chosen instrument of
Benten, goddess of music, eloquence, poetry, and
education in Japanese Buddhism. The biwa is a plucked
string instrument that was first popular in China and then
spread throughout East Asia.
Ryuteki
The ryūteki is a Japanese transverse fue made of bamboo.
It is used in gagaku, the Shinto classical music associated
with Japan's imperial court. The sound of the ryūteki is said
to represent the dragons which ascend the skies between
the heavenly lights and the people of the earth.
Hichiriki
The hichiriki is a double reed Japanese fue used as one of two
main melodic instruments in Japanese gagaku music. It is one of
the "sacred" instruments and is often heard at Shinto weddings
in Japan. Its sound is often described as haunting.
Taiko
Taiko are a broad range of Japanese
percussion instruments. In Japanese, the
term refers to any kind of drum, but outside
Japan, it is used specifically to refer to any of
the various Japanese drums called wadaiko
and to the form of ensemble taiko
drumming more specifically called kumi-
daiko.
